Figure 2-1 The Material Flow of Our Country

Note 1: Wet waste, etc.: Water taken in socioeconomic activities and water content included in waste (e.g. sludge, animal waste, raw sewage, waste acid, or waste alkali); and input of earth and sand as a result of economic activities (e.g. sludge generated by the mining, construction and waterworks industries and slag from the mining industry)

Note 2: Energy consumption and waste generated during industrial processes: An estimation of water, etc., included in raw materials and released during the manufacturing processes of industrial products

Note 3: Fertilizing: Sprayed fertilizer is not actually accumulated and will be decomposed in the soil; therefore, particularly it has been taken out from the net increase to stock.

Source: Ministry of Environment

are also known as the Direct Material Input (DMI).

The natural resources input amount estimated for fiscal 2006 was 1.59 billion tons as a total of domestic production and import (780 million tons domestic production + 810 million tons imports). This is about 82% of the 1.93 billion tons for fiscal 2000 (1.13 billion domestic production + 800 million tons imports).

Moreover, the natural resources input amount does not include the hidden flow, or the amount of material other than the targeted material collected/excavated or generated as wastes in the process of collection of the resource. It is thought it will be necessary to improve Resource Productivity, considering the TMR that includes the hidden flow and the energy resources used at each stage of resource collection, and to further lower the collection level of resources from the present rate. As TMR data relies mostly on estimates, we are going to accumulate know-how through international opinion exchanges.

## (c) Amounts of inlet flow and outflow of the resources and products

The amount of materials in the form of products and goods exiting our country is about one fifth, compared with the amount of resources and products entering. The burden of nitrogen-compounds released into our public water areas and underground water, for example, is much more than other countries are experiencing and so huge because enormous amounts of nitrogen have been imported in the form of food and feeding stuff; the situation is such that the natural nitrogen circulation in those areas might have been destroyed.

From the international viewpoint, this can be called a state where proper material circulation has not been secured.

## (d) "Cyclical use amount"

The amount of cyclical use is 230 million tons, while the Total Material Input Amount is 1.82 billion tons. The amount of cyclical use is presently measured by weight, however, it is also necessary to understand the recycling situation by adding the qualitative point of view, including investigations on the impact of the environmental burden from the point of life-cycle and recycling with higher value-added (or, closed recycle).

## (e) Amount of waste generation

The amount of waste generation still remains at a high level. It is important in terms of ensuring proper material circulation to hold down the generation of waste and eventually the discharge into the environment.

## (f) Amount of energy consumption

Global warming derived chiefly from the carbon dioxide emissions of fossil fuel resources is a critical problem which may have a serious effect on the living habitat of human beings. As the amount of energy consumption of our country is